Biggest Lush of 2009: 'The BAC is Almost Incomprehensible'

Meet Marguerite Engle, super-lush. Seems she got quite the jump on New Year's festivities by shattering Breathalyzer records earlier this month. Judging by this mugshot, she seems to hold up pretty well for blowing a staggering .708 blood-alcohol level. And by pretty well, I mean she's still conscious.

An absolutely bombed South Dakota woman - found passed out in stolen cars twice this month - had a blood alcohol level nearly nine times the legal limit, authorities said.

State troopers discovered Marguerite Engle, 45, slumped behind the wheel of a stolen delivery van Dec. 1.

The dazed drunkard recorded a mind-boggling .708 blood alcohol content - believed to be the highest in state history.

Meade County State's Attorney Jesse Sondreal said the highest blood alcohol level previously recorded was .56.

Levels of .40 percent are considered lethal.

"She was almost double that," Sondreal told the Daily News. "The BAC is almost incomprehensible."

Engle was hospitalized in Sturgis, about 200 miles west of Pierre, and freed on bail. But her problems didn't end there.

Days after missing her court date, Engle was found drunk and passed out behind the wheel of another stolen vehicle on another highway near Sturgis.

In this case, the car was in a ditch beside the road, authorities said.
Officials are still waiting for the results of blood tests from her second misadventure.

"Given my review of the investigative summary, I'm confident it'll be well beyond the .08 threshold," Sondreal said. "But I'm fairly confident it won't be setting any records."